Floodwaters are finally receding on the Nyando River in Western Kenya, and CFCA sponsored friends and their families are now safe to re-enter their homes to assess the damage. Thankfully, all emerged physically safe.
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Maria Luisa with her daughter Gabriela, a sponsored child in Bolivia.
Happy Mother’s Day! Well, depending on where you are that is. Find out the different days Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world.
Regina Mburu
By Regina Mburu, CFCA communications liaison for Africa
On March 4, Kenya held a general election in which the president, senators, county governors and members of parliament were chosen. Regina Mburu, CFCA communications liaison for Africa, is from Kenya and voted in the election. Regina shares her story of voting, of patiently waiting for the results and hoping peace would prevail.
As dawn broke and the sun made its way up to brighten the rather dull skies, my country, Kenya, was ready to usher in a new era ó one that the people hoped would bring along good tidings.
As early as 4 a.m. on March 4, Kenyans were already lined up in different polling stations all over the country, eagerly waiting to cast their votes.
The atmosphere was full of excitement, but at the same time there was tension hidden behind the smiles. The events of the 2007 election, in which more than 1,000 people were killed, were still fresh on the minds of many. Read more
“Bob’s notes” are reports from CFCA President Bob Hentzen, who regularly accompanies awareness trip participants. You can see Bob’s full update on his Facebook page.
Heartfelt greetings from Kenya.
I am very grateful to the Kansas City awareness trip team and the staff in Kenya for all of their preparation for this journey.
Photo credits for this report go to Regina Mburu, CFCA communications liaison for Africa. Regina was with the group for the entire trip. Don’t miss her latest blog post, which features her reflection about her visit to Madagascar.
The estimated 2012 population in Kenya topped 43 million, with more than 3 million living in Nairobi, the capital and largest city. Read more
From left are Gloria, Erika and Ana, children sponsored through CFCA in El Salvador.
You’ve probably heard the English idiom, “Every Tom, Dick and Harry,” to refer to the general population.
For many parts of the world, that wouldn’t make sense because those three names are relatively unusual.
In Madagascar, for example, the idiom might read more like, “Every Haja, Mamy and Andriniaina!”
Here are some common boy and girl names from some countries and regions where CFCA works:
El Salvador, Colombia and other Latin American countries
Names such as Juan, Jose, Ana and Maria abound in Latin American countries. Some common sources of inspiration come from close relatives, famous people, Biblical names and popular foreign names.
“Many years ago you could choose a foreign name without a problem, but nowadays you have to prove the meaning and the origin when you go to get the baby’s birth certificate in the city hall,” said Naresli Calito, a CFCA staffer in El Salvador. Read more
By Kristin Littrell, CFCA correspondent
CFCA is not a one-size-fits-all organization. We rely on our field staffs to know the families in each community, to listen to their needs and hopes, and to provide a program that empowers them to build a path out of poverty.
We give you a window into several CFCA communities, to gauge the success of the Hope for a Family sponsorship program.
Hope for a Family in Nakuru, Kenya
Rose and Patrick proudly display some of the items they sell at their art gallery.
The owners, Patrick and Rose, are passionate about their work.
Like entrepreneurs around the world, they honed their skills and opened this shop as a way to provide for their family.
Patrick and Rose are part of the CFCA family in Nakuru, Kenya.
Their son, Kevin, is sponsored, and Rose is a member of a CFCA mothers group in the area. The family was able to attain a loan to start their business through Rose’s mothers group. Read more
Students listen attentively to the CFCA scholars during a tutoring session.
By Regina Muburu, CFCA communications correspondent for Africa
It is a hot Tuesday afternoon and sponsored children are gathered at a local CFCA office in Kenya, with their books and pens, keenly following what they are being taught.
The teachers of the day are Vincent, who is pursuing a degree in business administration and accounting, and his colleague, Kevin, who is enrolled at a local university studying for a bachelor of commerce degree.
The two students are both 23 years old and part of the CFCA Scholarship Program.
“As scholars we volunteer hours of community service to the CFCA office helping out in various duties. It is during this period that we noticed that the children in our area were not performing well [in school],” Vincent said. “Looking at the report cards as scholarship students, we felt there was a need to step in and help.”
The two scholars decided to create an academic club for sponsored children who needed extra help with their studies.
The club is facilitated by 17 scholars who choose different subjects, in which they excel, to tutor the sponsored children. These subjects include mathematics, business education, science and geography. Read more
“Bob’s notes” are reports from CFCA President Bob Hentzen, who regularly accompanies mission awareness trip participants. You can see Bobís full update on his Facebook page.
Photo credits for Kenya and Uganda go to Regina Muburu, CFCA communications liaison for Africa. Photo credits for Madagascar go to Paul Pearce, CFCA director of global strategy.
It’s always a joy to be in touch with you, this time from Africa. Together with Paul Pearce, CFCA director of global strategy, and Karen Allemang, CFCA trips and international volunteer manager.
I had the privilege of accompanying a wonderful group of CFCA sponsors on this September 2012 journey to Kenya and Uganda.
Paul and I also visited the CFCA project in Antsirabe, Madagascar. Read more